Throughout the history of humanity, numerous therapeutic agents have been employed for their sedative and hypnotic properties such as opium, henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), but also alcohol and wine. In the 19th century potassium bromide was introduced as a sedative - and antiepileptic drug and chloral hydrate as sedative-hypnotics. A new era was reached by the introduction of barbiturates. The story started with the chemist Adolf von Baeyer. His breakthrough in the synthesis of new agents as barbituric acid and indigo and his education of young chemists was of great importance for the science of organic chemistry and the development of the dye and medicine industry in the late 19th century. The next important step was the development of barbiturates. The pioneers were Josef von Mering and Emil Fischer. Using the Grimaux-method they synthesized various barbiturates. It was von Mering who got the idea of introducing ethyl groups in the inactive barbituric acid to obtain sedatives, but the synthesis was succeeded by the chemist Emil Fischer. Experiments with dogs clearly showed sedative and hypnotic effect of the barbiturates and the oral administration of barbital (Veronal) confirmed the effect in humans. Barbital was commercialized in 1903 and in 1911 phenobarbital (Luminal) was introduced in the clinic, and this drug showed hypnotic and antiepileptic effects. Thereafter a lot of new barbiturates appeared. Dangerous properties of the drugs were recognized as abuse, addiction, and poisoning. An optimum treatment of acute barbiturate intoxication was obtained by the "Scandinavian method", which was developed in the Poison Centre of the Bispebjerg Hospital in Copenhagen. The centre was established by Carl Clemmesen in 1949 and the intensive care treatment reduced the mortality of the admitted persons from 20% to less than 2%. To-day only a few barbiturates are used in connection with anaesthesia and for the treatment of epilepsy, and chemists are focusing on drugs with more selective effects.

Black henbane (BH) or Hyoscyamus niger, has been used as a medicine since last centuries and has been described in all traditional medicines. It applies as a herbal medicine, but may induce intoxication accidentally or intentionally. All part of BH including leaves, seeds and roots contain some alkaloids such as Hyoscyamine, Atropine, Tropane and Scopolamine. BH has pharmacological effects like bronchodilating, antisecretory, urinary bladder relaxant, spasmolytic, hypnotic, hallucinogenic, pupil dilating, sedative and anti-diarrheal properties. Clinical manifestations of acute BH poisoning are very wide which include mydriasis, tachycardia, arrhythmia, agitation, convulsion and coma, dry mouth, thirst, slurred speech, difficulty speaking, dysphagia, warm flushed skin, pyrexia, nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision and photophobia, urinary retention, distension of the bladder, drowsiness, hyper reflexia, auditory, visual or tactile hallucinations, confusion, disorientation, delirium, aggressiveness, and combative behavior. The main treatment of BH intoxicated patients is supportive therapies including gastric emptying (not by Ipecac), administration of activated charcoal and benzodiazepines. Health care providers and physicians particularly emergency physicians and clinical toxicologists should know the nature, medical uses, clinical features, diagnosis and management of BH poisoning.

Hyoscyamus species is one of the four plants used in Ayurveda for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Since Hyoscyamus niger was found to contain negligible levels of L-DOPA, we evaluated neuroprotective potential, if any, of characterized petroleum ether and aqueous methanol extracts of its seeds in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of PD in mice. Air dried authenticated H. niger seeds were sequentially extracted using petroleum ether and aqueous methanol and were characterized employing HPLC-electrochemistry and LCMS. Parkinsonian mice were treated daily twice with the extracts (125-500 mg/kg, p.o.) for two days and motor functions and striatal dopamine levels were assayed. Administration of the aqueous methanol extract (containing 0.03% w/w of L-DOPA), but not petroleum ether extract, significantly attenuated motor disabilities (akinesia, catalepsy and reduced swim score) and striatal dopamine loss in MPTP treated mice. Since the extract caused significant inhibition of monoamine oxidase activity and attenuated 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP+)-induced hydroxyl radical (·OH) generation in isolated mitochondria, it is possible that the methanolic extract of Hyoscyamus niger seeds protects against parkinsonism in mice by means of its ability to inhibit increased ·OH generated in the mitochondria.

Hyoscyamus, the henbane, is one of the drugs of the ancients. Initially used both as a poison and narcotic, it was widely adopted by witches, wizards and soothsayers as a component of their hallucinatory and flying ointments. It was also used by notorious poisoners such as Madame Voisin in France. Eventually, in the nineteenth century its active principle was isolated by Ladenburg and called l-hyoscine. It proved to be a tropane alkaloid very similar to atropine. These two alkaloids proved to be very important in the study of the parasympathetic component of the autonomic nervous system, and together with physostigmine, allowed the major neurotransmitter acetylcholine to be isolated and its mechanisms of action to be characterised. The Crippen murder case in 1910 gave hyoscine further fame, indeed, notoriety. The unassuming homeopathic doctor murdered his wife with the alkaloid and then decamped for Canada with his mistress Ethel Le Neve. The case became a worldwide sensation for several reasons: the arrest of the fugitive couple by wireless telegraphy (Marconigram) and the extensive chemical and histological evidence presented by Willcox and Spilsbury. Some authorities claim that this was the beginning of the science of forensic medicine in Britain. Hyoscine is now hardly ever used in modern therapeutics but its history from antiquity to the witches and on to Dr Crippen is both bizarre and fascinating.

Henbane, Hyoscyamus niger, is a hallucinogenic plant, widely spread and easy accessible, which contains anticholinergic substances. Ingestion, intentional or accidental, can provoke serious worsening of psychophysical state and can cause even death. Intoxication resembles the one with atropine. Symptoms like mydriasis, tachycardia, arrhythmia, agitation, convulsion and coma can appear. Diagnosis is made by clinical symptomatology and history. Therapeutic acts include stomach lavage, supportive therapy and physostigmine as a specific antidote. Prognosis is usually good.

The authors describe the case of a 27-year-old man who was examined on account of vertigo and blurred vision. In the objective case-history there was mild confusion, in the physical examination broad symmetrical mydriasis dominated. Later other similar patients were found. Atropine intoxication was proved. The source of the alkaloid was poppy seed contaminated with seeds of henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), in bakery goods served in the works canteen.

We present a retrospective analysis of plant and mushroom ingestions reported to the Toxicologic Information Center at the Catholic University of Chile. All the phone calls of plant and mushroom intoxications received from January 1998 through June 2000, were classified according to agent, clinical presentation, affected age group, origin of the phone call, and time from exposure to the toxic agent. Of 36,580 consultations received, 156 were intoxications with plants or mushrooms, and 53.9% of them affected children < 6years. Most patients were symptomatic at consultation, with digestive, neurologic, anticholinergic or cutaneous effects. The most frequent accidental ingestions were of elephant's ear (Colocasia sp) by children, causing digestive symptoms, and by intentional ingestions of black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) by adolescents, causing anticholinergic symptoms; 5 cases of Amanitaphalloides wer ereported with 3 fatal due to fulminant hepatic damage. Plant and mushroom intoxications are an uncommon event, but can seriously compromise those that ingest them. Despite its low incidence, public and medical community education is essential to prevent and manage these intoxications efficiently.

In Turkey, the majority of the population live in rural areas where they use wild plants as food and medicine. The confusion of an edible plant with a poisonous one give rise to serious poisoning which may even result in death. The incidence of plant poisoning in Turkey is about 6% and especially high among children between ages of 2 and 11 living in rural areas. The number of species that cause poisoning is around twenty and Hyoscyamus niger (Solanaceae), Colchicum species (Liliaceae), Conium maculatum (Umbelliferae) and Prunus species (Rosaceae) are the most important. Mushroom poisoning is more frequent in spring and fall. The main reasons are their widespread usage as food and the inexperience of the gatherers in distinguishing the edibles from the poisonous. Amanita phalloides, A. verna, A. muscaria, A. pantherina are responsible for severe cases of poisoning.

Psychopathological findings in two cases of oral poisoning with toxins of "Datura stramonium" (thorn apple) and "Hyoscyamus niger" (insane roof) are reported. Toxicological aspects of voluntary ingestion are discussed as well as the forensic importance of criminal poisoning.

During 1984-1989, 19 Bedouin children, 4-8 years old, were hospitalized because of henbane plant (Hyoscyamus reticulatus) poisoning. There were 14 cases in the autumn, 3 in the spring and 2 in the summer. The most prominent signs were altered state of consciousness (including deep coma in 3) and flushed dry, warm skin in all. Pupils were dilated in 18 of the 19 and restlessness and hallucinations were present in 17. Less common were vomiting, increased tendon reflexes, convulsions, involuntary movements, ataxia, hypertension, hyperpyrexia and tachycardia. Therapy included intravenous physostigmine in 7 and sedatives (diazepam and triclofos) in 6. All were free of symptoms within 24 hours of admission. Henbane may grow as an annual or biennial. Renewed growth of leaf rosettes occurs before the first rains and they attract attention in the fields. The parts of the plant eaten by most of the children were the roots, which are easily mistaken for the edible roots of other plants. The main alkaloids in henbane are atropine (hyoscyamine) and scopolamine (hyoscine) which explains the clinical picture of mixed stimulation and depression of the brain. Educational measures should be undertaken to prevent poisoning of Bedouin children by eating such plants.

Patients frequently come to the emergency department or contact a poison center following exposure to plants. These cases are often challenging owing to difficulty in correct identification of the involved plant. A case of two patients who demonstrated anticholinergic syndromes after ingesting an unknown, wild plant is described. Chemical analysis of two suspect plants collected in the same location allowed a probable diagnosis of poisoning from ingestion of henbane (Hyoscyamus niger).

A case is presented of deliberate chewing of the flowers of henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) in the hope of producing euphoria, and an account is given of the poisoning so produced. The case indicates a more widespread use of this plant among the drug-taking community of Australia, and discussion of the case includes a description of the plant and an outline of treatment for the acute stage of the poisoning.

Among the available antidotes used against parathion poisoning, atropine and Buscopan are tolerated in relatively high doses by rats. Hyoscine (in very small doses), T. Bel. Alk. and T. Hyosc. Alk. (better results in small doses, also for dogs), P2AM (of superior antimuscarine action) are redommended with each of the preceding drugs than either alone or in combination with Buscopan.